Retrieval devices have been used to remove stones and other calculi from within the body of a patient. One type of retrieval device includes a sheath, an elongate member extending within and moveable relative to the sheath, and a basket connected to the distal end of the elongate member. The basket may have a number of legs, and may have a collapsed position within the sheath and an expanded position beyond a distal end of the sheath. When the basket is in the expanded position, a targeted stone may be captured within the basket and removed from the body. Some stones, however, may be too large to be removed from the body after being captured within the basket. In this situation, a device, such as a laser fiber or other laser lithotripsy device, may be used to break up the stone while the stone is captured. The stone and/or stone particles may then be removed from the body without harming the surrounding body tissue.
It may be difficult, however, to break up the stone with such a lithotripsy device without accidentally cutting or otherwise damaging the legs of the basket. Such damage may cause the user to lose retention of the stone. Such damage may also make the basket difficult to extract from the body without causing trauma to the surrounding body tissue.
The present disclosure provides retrieval devices and methods of using the same that avoid some or all of the aforementioned shortcomings of existing devices.